Hinge latch



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- HH m A TTOI-Z/VE Y5 July 26, 1966 H. B. GORTON ETAL HINGE LATCH FiledJan. 22, 1964 July 26, 1966 H. B. GORTON ETAL 3,262,149

HINGE LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 lNVEA/TOZS HOWARD B.60270, HENRY Ae/As JR.

BY MAHO/VEY, HALEERT &

H0 ,QNBA KER A'r'ro/z/vzys United States Patent 3,262,149 HINGE LATCHHoward B. Gorton, West 'Covina, and Henry Arias, In,

La Puente, Calif., assignors to Ajax Hardware Manufacturing Corp., Cityof Industry, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 22, 1964,Ser. No. 339,379 Claims. (Cl. 16-147) This invention relates to a hingelatch and, more particularly, to a hinge latch adapted to perform thedual functions of hingedly supporting a closure and latching the samein'closed position.

It is a common practice to mount cabinet and other doors on two or morehinges and to provide latch components on the door jamb and door edge tomaintain the door in closed position. Therefore, it is necessary topurchase the latch components and hinges and to install the same.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a hinge latchwhich, when installed in the manner of conventional hinges, willfunction both as a hinge to support the associated door and as a latchto maintain the door in latched and closed position on the associatedcabinet.

Therefore, the expenditures entailed in the purchase and theinstallation of conventional latches are eliminated as are the laborcosts incident to the installation of the latches. Furthermore, moreeffective latching of the associated door is achieved since each hingeincorporates the latching function inherent in the hinge of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hinge latch of theaforementioned character which is adapted, in addition to performing thehinge and latch functions adverted to hereinabove, to partially closethe door with the hinge latch is associated since the hinge latch ischaracterized by a spring action which, during the final movement of thedoor toward the closed position, acts to automatically close the door.

Consequently, the necessity for providing auxiliary springs or similardevices to facilitate the closing of the door with which the hingelatches of the invention are associated is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hinge latch of theaforementioned character which, to the eye of the ordinary observer, isa conventional hinge construction since the keeper and strike componentsof the hinge latch of the invention are incorporated in the hinge leavesmounted on the door and door frame, respectively. Therefore, thenecessity for providing bulky construction of an unesthetic appearanceis eliminated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, which are for thepurpose of illustration only, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a hinge latch constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1and illustrating the hinge latch with the component parts thereof inclosed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG; 3 showing the component parts of thehinge latch in the partially closed position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the initiation ofthe latching operation;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the frame leaf of the hingelatch;

FIG. 7 is a vertical, partly sectional view of an alternative embodimentof the hinge latch of the invention;

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FIG. 8 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the broken line of 8-8of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical, partly sectional view of an alternative embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of yet anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the frame leaf of another embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 12 is a partly sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line 13--13 ofFIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 1414 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of yet anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a vertical, sectional view of another embodiment of the hingelatch of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a vertical, sectional view of yet another embodiment of thehinge latch of the invention;

FIG. 18 is an end elevational view taken on the broken line 1818 of FIG.17; and

FIG. 19 is a side, elevational view of an alternative form of springstrike construction adapted to be utilized in conjunction with the hingelatch of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-6 thereof, weshow a hinge latch 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings ofthe invention and including a door leaf 12 and a door frame leaf 14, thedoor leaf 12 incorporating a plurality of openings 16 through whichscrews or similar fasteners may be inserted to fasten said door leaf inoperative relationship with the interior surface of the door. The doorframe leaf 14 incorporates openings 18 adapted to facilitate theaffixation of the frame leaf 14 in operative engagement with the frameof the associated door.

While the invention is disclosed as incorporated in a hinge of aparticular configuration, it will, of course, be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that the teachings of the invention may be appliedwith equal cogcncy to any type of hinge configuration.

Integrally formed upon one edge of the door leaf 12 are hinge knuckles20 adapted to be inserted into operative relationship with correspondingknuckles 22 provided on the frame leaf 14. Hinge pintles 24 are driveninto the corresponding openings in the knuckles 20 and 22 to permitpivotal movement between the door leaf 12 and the frame leaf 14. Theframe leaf 14 is of substantially arcuate configuration in longitudinalcross section, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and incorporatesan elongated opening 28 whose opposite extremities terminate in slots34]. Located in the opening 28 is strike means 32, said strike meansbeing constituted by an elongated spring 34 having a strike portion 36intermediate its extremities. The strike portion 36 is, as best shown inFIG. 3 of the drawings, of substantially V-shaped cross section andprovides an exterior cam surface, for a purpose which will be describedin greater detail below.

The strike portion 36 is located intermediate the extremities 38 of theelongated spring 34. The extremities 38 of the elongated spring 34extend upwardly through the slots 30 and incorporate openings 40 throughwhich the pintles 24 extend. Therefore, the strike means 32 ismaintained in operative relationship with the door frame leaf 14 by thesecurement of the extremities 38 thereof to the pintles 24 and by thelocation of the extremities 38 in the slots 30.

The door leaf 12 incorporates a keeper 42 which is constituted by asubstantially arcuate tang or tongue 44 and which is, in the presentembodiment of the invention, formed integrally with said leaf.

The position assumed by the door and frame leaves 12 and 14 is shown inFIG. 3 of the drawings wherein the keeper 42 is disposed in overlyingrelationship with the strike means 32 and maintained in operativerelationship with said strike because of the substantial correspondencebetween the cam surface provided by the V-shaped configuration of saidstrike and the substantially arcuate interior surface of said keeper.Therefore, the strike means 32 and keeper 42 cooperate to maintain thedoor, not shown, in closed relationship with the door opening.

On the other hand, when the door is open and the closing of the door isinitiated, the extremity of the keeper 42 will initially engage the camsurface of the strike portion 36 of the strike means 32 in the mannershown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. As the extremity of the keeper 42traverses the cam surface of the strike portion 36 of the strike means32, the elongated spring 34 will be gradually depressed inwardly untilthe extremity of the keeper 42 engages the apex of the strike portion 36in the manner shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. When the apex of the camsurface of the strike portion 36 is passed by the extremity of thekeeper 42, the bias of the elongated spring 34 forces the spring 34against the inner arcuate surface of the keeper 42 and earns the doorleaf 12 into the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

In this manner, the hinge latch of the invention serves not only as ahinge and a latch, but also serves as a door closing means for theassociated door whereby the door will be urged inwardly when theextremity of the keeper 42 traverses the apex of the associated strikeportion 36 incorporated in the elongated spring 34 constituting thestrike means 32. Another desirable aspect of the spring action of thestrike means 32 upon the keeper 42 of the door leaf 12 is the fact thatthe associated door is continuously biased by the action of theelongated spring 34 into contact with the associated door frame and therattling and movement of doors characteristic of those which are closedwith conventional latching devices is eliminated.

It will, of course, be obvious to those skilled in the art that thefunction and location of the strike means 32 and keeper 42 may bereversed, that is, the keeper 42 may be incorporated in the frame leaf14 and the strike means 32 incorporated in the door leaf 12 withoutdepartment from the scope of the present invention.

Another embodiment 50 of the hinge latch of the invention is illustratedin FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, parts corresponding to thosepreviously discussed in considering the hinge latch 10 being designatedby identical reference numerals to avoid the repetitive descriptionthereof.

The basic difference between the hinge latch 10 and the hinge latch 50is that the door frame leaf 52 of the hinge latch 50 incorporates lugs54 adapted to preload the elongated spring 34. The lugs 54, bypreloading the elongated spring 34, substantially reduce the dragencountered when the keeper 42 engages the strike portion 36 of thestrike means 32.

At this juncture, it should be pointed out that while the elongatedspring 34 is shown as fabricated from spring leaf stock, it is withinthe contemplation of the invention that spring material having crosssections other than spring leaf stock may be utilized in substitutiontherefor. For instance, it would be possible to utilize Wire springshaving square, triangular, ovoid and other cross-sectionalconfigurations, which would achieve the camming action attained by thedeformation of the intermediate portion of the elongated spring 34 toprovide the cam surface characterizing the strike portion 36 of theelongated spring 34.

Another embodiment 60 of the hinge latch of the invention is illustratedin FIG. 9 of the drawings and the component parts thereof which areidentical with the component parts of the previously discussedembodiments are, once again, designated by the identical referencenumerals. In the hinge latch 60, the mode of aflixation and theconfiguration of the extremities of the strike means 62 have beenaltered to eliminate the right angular extremities characteristic of thepreviously discussed embodiments of the invention and providing openings64 in said extremities. Formed integrally with the underside of the doorframe leaf 66 are bosses or rivets 68, adapted to be received in thecorresponding Openings 64 and to be subsequently headed to permanentlyafiix the strike means 62 in operative relationship with the door frameleaf 66.

A further embodiment 70 of the hinge latch of the invention isillustrated in FIG. 10 of the drawings as incorporating a door leaf 72which has strike means 74 operatively connected thereto by means ofrivets 76. The strike means is constituted by a rectangular spring 78,said rectangular spring having an outer extremity of substantiallyV-shaped cross section.

Formed integrally with the door frame leaf 82 of the hinge latch 70 is akeeper 84 which is adapted to cooperate with the outer extremity 80 ofthe hinge latch 70.

Furthermore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that if thedoor leaf 72 were fabricated from spring stock, the strike 74 could beformed integrally therewith for cooperation with keeper 84.

Another embodiment of the spring latch of the invention is illustratedin FIG. 11 of the drawings, and incorporates a door frame leaf 92 whichis provided with an elongated opening 94 at the opposite extremities ofwhich are formed notches 96. Mounted in operative relationship with thedoor frame leaf 92 is strike means 98 constituted by an elongated spring102 of spring wire of circular cross section.

Formed upon the opposite extremities of the elongated spring 102 areright-angle bends having eyes 104 provided thereupon, adapted to bedisposed immediately adjacent the outermost knuckles 106 of the doorframe leaf 92.

When the door frame leaf 92 is assembled in operative relationship witha door leaf identical with the leaf 12 of the hinge latch 10, the keeper42 thereof will cooperate with the intermediate portion of the strikemeans 98 constituted by the elongated spring 102 to retain theassociated door in closed position.

The elongated spring 102 is maintained in operative relationship withthe door frame leaf 92 by the location of the extremities of theelongated spring 102 in the corresponding notches 96 and by the pintles24 which are encompassed by the eyes 104, provided at the extremities ofthe elongated spring 102.

A further embodiment 110 of the hinge latch of the invention, isillustrated in FIGS. 12-14 of the drawings as including a door leaf 112which incorporates a keeper 114 and is generally of the sameconstruction as the door leaf 12 of the hinge latch 10. Assembled inoperative relationship with the door leaf 112 is a door frame leaf 116,said door frame leaf being fabricated from spring steel or similarmaterial and incorporating an elongated slit or slot 118 which definesstrike means 120 at the edge of the door frame leaf. The strike means120 is thus constituted by an integral portion of the door frame leaf116 and is constituted, essentially, by an elongated spring 122 whichhas a strike portion 124 formed intermediate the extremities thereof forengagement by the keeper 114 of the door leaf 112.

Another embodiment of the hinge latch of the invention is illustratedfragmentarily in FIG. 15 of the drawings as including a door leaf 132incorporating an integral keeper 134 of the same substantialconfiguration as that incorporated in the door frame leaf 12 of thehinge latch 10. However, the door frame leaf 136 of the hinge latch 130is fabricated from resilient material such as spring steel andincorporates a relatively rigid strike portion 138 formed integrallywith the mounting plate thereof.

The knuckles 140 of the door frame leaf 136 incorporate elongatedportions 142 which are subject to deflection because of the resilientcharacter of the material from which the door frame leaf 136 isfabricated. T herefore, as best illustrated in FIG. 15 of the drawings,when the keeper 134 engages the corresponding integral strike 138 of thedoor frame leaf 136, the knuckles 140 of the door frame leaf 136 areflexed to the left in the manner shown in the phantom lines 144 in FIG.of the drawings. Therefore, the door frame leaf 136, itself, providesspring means for urging the keeper 134 and strike 138 into operativeengagement with each other whereby the associated door may becontinuously maintained in latched position with the associated dooropening.

An alternative embodiment 15%) of the invention is illustrated in FIG.16 of the drawings and is basically similar to the embodiment disclosedin FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, with the exception that the spring 152which constitutes the strike 154 is provided with right-angularly bentlegs 156 at its opposite extremities, said legs having elongated slots158 therein adapted to receive up-standing bosses 162 formed in thesurface of the frame leaf 164.

Therefore, instead of mounting the opposite extremities of the elongatedspring 152 constituting the strike 154 upon the pintles of the hinge150, the opposite extremities of the spring 152 are engaged upon thebosses 162 and the natural bias of the spring urges the extremities ofthe slots 158 into engagement with the corresponding bosses 162.

Another embodiment 170 of the invention is basically similar inconfiguration to previously discussed embodiments of the invention, asillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, with the exception that, asbest shown in FIG. 17 of the drawings, the elongated spring 172constituting the strike 174 is provided with hooks 176 on its oppositeextremities, the typical configuration of such a hook being shown inFIG. 18 of the drawings in end elevation. Corresponding slots 178 areformed in the door frame leaf 182 and the hooks 176 are inserted thereinto maintain the elongated spring 172 in operative relationship with thedoor frame leaf 182.

As previously indicated, a variety of different kinds of springs may beutilized as strikes, and there is illustrated in FIG. 19 of the drawingsa spring 184, which incorporates a central strike portion 186 which isconnected with the opposite extremity of the spring by means of integraloutwardly directed bows 188. The bows 188 facilitate the utilization ofthe spring 184 as a strike because they permit greater deflection of thestrike portion 186 of the spring 184 than can be obtained with therelatively flat profile of the springs disclosed in the previouslydiscussed embodiments of the invention.

There is thus provided by our invention a hinge latch which ischaracterized by its simplicity of construction and ease ofinstallation. In addition, the hinge latch may be manufactured at arelatively low cost because of the minimum number of component partsincorporated therein. Thus, the hinge latch of the invention ischaracterized by the performance of three functions, namely, it isadapted to hinge an associated door in operative relationship with adoor opening, to latch the door in closed position and to perform a doorclosing function during the last increments of closing movement of thedoor.

We claim:

1. In a hinge, the combination of: a first leaf having a spring, saidfirst leaf incorporating an elongated opening and said spring beingelongated and spanning said opening, said spring having securement meanson its opposite extremities to secure it in operative relationship withsaid first leaf; a second leaf having a keeper engageable with saidspring to retain said second leaf in a predetermined orientation withrespect to said first leaf; and a pintle connecting said leaves.

2. In a hinge, the combination of: a first leaf having a resilientstrike, said first leaf having an elongated opening therein and saidresilient strike being disposed in spanning relationship with saidopening, said resilient strike and said first leaf having co-operativemeans for securing said resilient strike in operative relationship withsaid first leaf; a second leaf having a keeper engageable with saidstrike to maintain said second leaf in a predetermined orientation withrespect to said first leaf; and a pintle connecting said leaves.

3. In a latch hinge, the combination of: a first leaf having anelongated resilient strike incorporating a strike portion, said firstleaf having an elongated opening therein and said elongated resilientstrike being disposed in spanning relationship with said opening, saidelongated resilient strike having mounting means on its oppositeextremities; a second leaf having a keeper thereupon constituted by atongue engageable with said strike portion to latch said leaves in apredetermined orientation to each other; and a pivotal connectionbetween said leaves, said mounting means of said elongated resilientstrike being engaged upon said pivotal connection to secure said strikein operative relationship with said first leaf.

4. In a latch, the combination of: a first hinge leaf including amounting plate and hinge knuckles formed on said plate, said platehaving an elongated opening therein below said knuckles; a second hingeleaf including a mounting plate and hinge knuckles interposed betweensaid knuckles of said first hinge leaf, said second hinge leaf having akeeper thereupon; a hinge pin located in said knuckles of said first andsecond hinge leaf for pivotally connecting said leaves; and an elongatedresilient strike disposed in spanning relationship with said elongatedopening in said first hinge leaf mounting plate, said elongatedresilient strike having its opposite extremities carried by said hingepin to maintain said strike in operative relationship with said firsthinge leaf.

5. In a latch, the combination of: a first hinge leaf including amounting plate and binge knuckles formed on said plate, said platehaving an elongated opening therein below said knuckles; a second hingeleaf including a mounting plate and hinge knuckles interposed betweensaid knuckles of said first hinge leaf, said second hinge leaf having akeeper thereupon; a hinge pin located in said knuckles of said first andsecond hinge leaf for pivotally connecting said leaves; and an elongatedresilient strike juxtaposed to said opening in said first hinge leafmounting plate and having its opposite extremities secured in operativerelationship with said first hinge leaf.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,642 8/1897Hoffman 16-142 1,589,613 6/1926 Mountford et a1 16142 2,571,430 11/1951Durup 16145 PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

D. TROUTMAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A HINGE, THE COMBINATION OF: A FIRST LEAF HAVING A SPRING, SAIDFIRST LEAF INCORPORATING AN ELONGATED OPENING AND SAID SPRING BEINGELONGATED AND SPANNING SAID OPENING, SAID SPRING HAVINGH SECUREMENTMEANS ON ITS OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES TO SECURE IT IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPWITH SAID FIRST LEAF; A SECOND LEAF HAVING A KEEPER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAIDSPRING TO RETAIN SAID SECOND LEAF IN A PREDETERMINED ORIENTATION WITHRESPECT TO SAID FIRST LEAF; AND A PINTLE CONNECTING SAID LEAVES.